Radiator attachment



May 14, 1929. F? FORD JR 1,712,656

. RADIATOR ATTACHMENT Filed Oct. 1927 I JI ill

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Patented May 1 14, 1929.

X UNITED-STA TES t,tt2,656 PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK :a. noun, .13.; or aosnnnnn, new JERSEY.

RADIATOR ArrAon Eu'r.

. Application filed October 5, 1927. Serial No. 224,099.

My invention relates to attachments for radiators and moreiespecially to radiators of motor cars, aircraft and similar things. The object of my invention is to produce a convenientsight opening in the top front portion of a radiator to the end that one can look into the radiator and see at once the condition of the water, the height of. the water, and whether or not the water is circulating properly. My invention is lntended to obviatethe need of removing the cap of the filling tube of the radiator in the case of excessive heat, and enable the person to look into the radiator and he then can tell by the condition of the water and its circulation or lack of it, whether the heating is due to lack of water, or lack of oil or engine trouble. My intention is also intended to apply this sight glass in a secure, watertight and convenient manner, to arrange lighting means behlnd the glass and in the radiator top to facilitate observation. and to afford a proper protection for the glass, which can be utilized as an attractive means of advertising the car or displaying the monogram, name or emblem of the owner. These and other advantages will appear more clearly from the description which follows.

deference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters represent the corresponding parts in all views.

Figure 1 is a broken front elevation of a radiator showing my improvements.

Figure 2 is a broken vertical section taken through the sight glass and lighting means, and a Figure 3 is a broken plane of the radiator.

In the drawings, represents a conventional radiator which can be of any approved type, and has the customary filling tube 11 and the outer covering shell 12 which is chiefly for ornament and hides the radiator proper.

In the front shell of the radiator near the top and preferably in alignment with the filling tube 11 is a sight glass 13 through which one may look to observe the internal conditions of the radiator. The sight glass has preferably, though not necessarily, a bevelled edge and is held between resilient washers 14c and 15 extending around the edge on the front and rear of the glass, and these and the glass lit in the tubular frame 16 which extends through the shell of the radiator and is ex panded at its innerend as shown at 17 so that this will fit opposite the outwardly protruding part 18 of the shell. A Washer 19 is placed between the parts 17 and 18 to make the con nection watertight and also afford a resilient support for the tubular frame 16. lhis frame 16 has also preferably a flange 20 acting as an abutment for the washer 15 and sight glass 13 and the outer end of the frame is externally screw-threaded to receive a flanged nut 21 whichserves to force the washers and sight glass inwardly and the inner edgeof which abuts with" the outer end of the shell part 18 when the nut is screwed home.

I prefe ably protect the glass from external dirt or contact with something which may break or injure it by a door 22 which is carried by the shell or cover portion 1.2 and has a conventional spring hinge 8 to keep it shut. This door can be ornamented preferably with some emblem or letter represent ing the trade mark of the car or perhaps the name of the owner and it is also preferably stencilled so that one can look through the stencil and glass without even opening the door, although to get a full and careful view the door should be opened. This arrangement also has the advantage of lighting up the door so to make the matter thereon more noticeable. To enable observation to be quickly and thoroughly made, I preferably arrange a lamp 2 1- inside the radiator near the top and behind the sight glass 13. This can be an ordinary small electric lamp or bulb and it is protected and. kept out of contact with the water in the radiator by a globe 25 having a flange 26 which is supported between the resilient washers 27 and 28, thus making a resilient, water-tight support. The lamp can be included in the lightingcircuit of the vehicle to which it is attached, or can be otherwise lighted. The lamp can be conveniently carried by a removable plate 29 which is preferably countersunk somewhat on the upper side in the middle part and is secured in place by through-bolts 30 extend ing through the plate 29, the top shell of the radiator 10 and a ring 31. The latter bears against and supports the washer 27 and the bolts have nuts 82 on the inner side by tightening which the globe 25 is securely held in place. Obviously other means for supporting the lamp and attaching a globe around it can be used without affecting the invention. Ifitis desired to remove the lamp parts, this can be done by first taking out the sight glass 13 and its frame 16, and then one can reach through the opening to the nuts 32.

V 7 It will thus be seen that I provide a safe,

thoroughly practical, and convenient means of observing the internal conditions of a radiator, and that this means is placed near the top'where the height of the water can also be determined at a glance. Ihave shown a preferred means ofmaking this attachment and providing a light behind the sight'glass, but the invention is not limited to the structural details, and I claim broadly the arrangement of a protected sight opening in this particular portion of the radiator. V I claim: a

1. A radiator having a sight opening in its front wall, there being a glass mounted in said opening) permitting the contents'of the radiator to e viewed; a hinged door covering said sight opening, said door having a design stenciled thereon and lighting means behind'the sight opening for projecting the design and for illuminating the interior of the radiator to permitinspection of the same through the stenoiled design.

2. A radiator having a sight opening in its front wall, transparent glass mounted in said opening permitting the contents of said radiator to be viewed, a hinged door covering said sight opening, sprin means normally closing the door over the sight opening, said door having a design cut thereon and lighting means behind the sight opening for projecting the design and for illuminating the interior of the radiator and permitting inspection of the same through the sight openmg.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 29th day of September, 1927.

FRANK R. FORD, JR. 

